A New Song in Praise of Peace
acrylic and mixed media on board, 40.6 cm (w) x 50.8 cm (h), 2009
Inspired by the processional banners and new art
approaches of the Italian Renaissance this painting was commissioned
by Margriet Tindemans for the Medieval Women's Choir compact disk,
Laude Novella. The praise songs of St. Francis of Assisi,
and works by Margriet Tindemans and Peter Siebert for the choir
invite reflection on our environment and its evolution as a dynamic
system. Through the painting process of acrylic media on board,
I have been experimenting with a textured material which mimics
ceramic crackle glaze. To incorporate movement and drama within
a temporal awareness, I chose yellow and azure backgrounds, colors
which appear in the banners and paintings of the quattracento.
I also use mineral pigments which, through their iridescence,
refer to the geology and biochemisty of our world. These materials
are somewhat fragile but allow complexity in both surface texture
and background variation, inviting comparison with the diversity
and interdependency of ecosystems.
